Martin G. Moore in his article “How to Make Great Decisions, Quickly” on Harvard Business Review, explains how leaders can make effective, fast decisions to stand out and maximize their impact.
Here’s a summary of the 8 points he addresses.
1. Great decisions are shaped by diverse perspectives
To make an informed decision, it’s essential to consider many points of view. This doesn’t mean consulting everyone, but rather the right people, those with relevant expertise. These contributions can broaden your understanding of the problem and identify solutions you wouldn’t have considered on your own.
However, it’s important to structure these exchanges to avoid confusion or wasted time. A well-managed diversity of perspectives enriches the quality of the decision.
2. Major decisions are made closer to the action
Managers are often far removed from day-to-day operations, and risk missing crucial information. The best decisions are therefore made based on feedback from those directly involved in the work.
These employees, close to the action, have a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the field. By incorporating their feedback, you can avoid decisions that are out of touch with reality, and increase your chances of successful implementation.
3. Big decisions tackle the root cause, not just the symptoms
A poorly understood or solved problem tends to repeat itself. While symptoms sometimes need to be treated urgently to avoid immediate consequences, it’s crucial to get to the root of the problem. This requires in-depth analysis to identify the underlying causes.
For example, if a team regularly misses deadlines, it’s not enough to add resources or extend deadlines. We need to understand why this is happening: is it a problem of communication, skills, or poorly defined priorities?
Once the cause has been identified, a sustainable plan can be put in place.
4. Great decisions balance short- and long-term values
A good decision must strike the right balance between immediate benefits and long-term impacts. Focusing solely on the short term can solve a problem quickly, but at the expense of sustainability or overall strategy.
Conversely, focusing solely on the long term can slow down immediate progress and demotivate teams. For example, in a corporate context, it may be tempting to cut costs to improve the bottom line in the short term, but this could be detrimental to innovation or employee satisfaction in the long term.
The challenge is to assess the risks and opportunities of both time horizons, short and long term, to maximize overall value.
5. Big decisions are good decisions
Speed is of the essence in decision-making, but it must not compromise quality. Once the key elements (outlook, root causes, balance of priorities) have been taken into account, it’s important not to procrastinate.
Delayed decisions can lead to missed opportunities, inefficiencies or a loss of confidence on the part of teams.
Moore stresses the importance of a structured process and personal discipline to maintain a fast pace while remaining rigorous.
6. Big decisions involve compromise
Rarely does a decision satisfy all parties or achieve all objectives. Leaders must accept that there will be compromises to be made. This means prioritizing the most important elements and sacrificing some less critical aspects.
For example, a strategic decision might mean temporarily reducing the resources allocated to a secondary project in order to concentrate efforts on a key initiative.
The important thing is to clearly communicate these trade-offs to maintain transparency and stakeholder buy-in.
7. Major decisions are made with clarity and conviction
Once a decision has been made, it must be communicated clearly and convincingly.
Leaders need to explain not only what has been decided, but also why. This helps build team confidence and avoid misunderstandings.
Clear communication also helps to mobilize employees around the implementation of the decision, giving them a sense of direction and certainty.
8. Great decisions are followed by rigorous execution
Making a good decision is only the first step.
What distinguishes successful leaders is their ability to ensure that the decision is implemented effectively. This requires rigorous monitoring, adjustment if necessary, and evaluation of results.
Poor execution can turn a good decision into a failure.
Leaders must therefore remain involved in the process to ensure that the objectives set are achieved.
Going further
Martin G. Moore insists that effective decision-making is not about seeking general approval or pleasing everyone. Great decisions are distinguished by their ability to create value, solve problems sustainably and mobilize teams.
By applying these eight principles, leaders can stand out, strengthen their credibility and achieve significant results.
What about you? How do you optimize your decision-making process? Share your opinions, experiences and advices in the comments section!
Source : https://hbr.org/2022/03/how-to-make-great-decisions-quickly